This Device Turns Kitchen Waste Into Compost

07/28/17

Written By:

Zack Palm

The Taihi bin uses a Japanese fermentation process called bokashi to breakdown biodegradable materials and produce compost

Homeowners don’t have many options when it comes to how they want to handle their waste and don’t know what to do with their biodegradable materials. They can always attempt to create a composting bin, however, the smell and liquid waste left behind by this material makes the process messy and difficult in small apartments or homes. Ben Cullis Watson, a British product designer, wants to handle the waste problem with his design called the Taihi rubbish bin. A homeowner with the Taihi bin in their house can keep their unit inside with them much like a traditional garbage bin and not worry about the dreadful decaying odor roaming throughout their home.

Watson wanted to do a different method than traditional composting bins use, as many on the market rely on worms decomposing the material or require the owner to spin the bin every so often. Instead, Watson stumbled upon a Japanese method known as bokashi. In this process, the owner uses a fermentation process to break down the materials. Normally, those who use the bokashi method have to mix their waste material in with a batch of bran, packing the two together tightly as the mixture fermentations for 10 to 12 days in a sealed bucket. The British designer simplified the process.

Rather than requiring a homeowner to pack the material down with bran, Watson developed an accelerator mixture that starts this fermentation process. The accelerator goes into a tiny replaceable vial to go inside of the top of the container when the owner wants to convert their materials into compost. The process does take 12 to 14 days and during this time the top of the Taihi bin sprays the vial’s contents over the food waste as it breaks down into a compost. When the process finishes, the owner take the containers out and place their newly made compost on any plant they wish to fertilize. Some of the material also gets converted into a liquid, which goes to the bottom of the bin into a sealed watering can for the owner to use as they please.

The Taihi bin comes with two 20 liter containers covered in a non-stick coating to make it cleaning up after a fermentation process quick. Watson wanted to ensure the aroma stayed inside of the container as much as possible by designing the bin to have a double-lid system, along with a rubber seal. After each fermentation process the owner must purchase a new accelerator mixture, which would mean they would have to purchase one a month if it takes two weeks to fill the container and another two weeks for the materials to breakdown.

Watson plans to create a second iteration of the Taihi bin, while also reviewing the future the product could have on the market.

Homeowners don’t have many options when it comes to how they want to handle their waste and don’t know what to do with their biodegradable materials. They can always attempt to create a composting bin, however, the smell and liquid waste left behind by this material makes the process messy and difficult in small apartments or homes. Ben Cullis Watson, a British product designer, wants to handle the waste problem with his design called the Taihi rubbish bin. A homeowner with the Taihi bin in their house can keep their unit inside with them much like a traditional garbage bin and not worry about the dreadful decaying odor roaming throughout their home.

In this episode, founder of organic personal care brand Seed Phytonutrients discusses the viability of a hybrid DTC and wholesale strategy in a market that has shifted distribution channels in response to increasing consumer demand for sustainable and natural beauty options

The brand leading the next generation of tech x beauty experiences just debuted its Color&Co virtual consultation platform, enabling on-demand personalized hair color advice as well as custom formula blends shipped to home to level up the box customer experience

The head of Turo's U.K. team tells PSFK how the platform is poised to fundamentally shift the nature of car ownership, enabling a service it describes as the Airbnb of car-sharing and letting car owners make money on their vehicle's idle time

CEO Zac Brandenberg explains how the online wine marketplace took on an entrenched category, realizing the opportunity to apply the convenience of ecommerce and popularity of DTC brands to the wine space

Aiming to democratize retailing, Storr is an online marketplace where anyone can build their own outlet, encouraging friends and followers to shop their curated wares from startup and big-name brands instead of going to Amazon